LeBron is calling Derrick names: 'MVP'

Have you been listening to LeBron James lately? I haven’t heard everything he has said, but what I’ve caught sounds like he’s refusing to use Derrick Rose’s name.

Intentionally refusing to use Rose's name. James has called Rose “MVP’’ or “the MVP,’’ as in “The MVP has a lot of energy’’ after James proved better than the NBA MVP down the stretch in Game 4.

Sarcastic? You bet, but he’s doing it without the overt, derisive inflection in his voice. Just by dropping those letters instead of Rose’s name, James is deftly carving his initials on Rose’s trophy while tagging this series in red, white, black and orange.

More points for James. Like he doesn’t have enough already.

James’ play is showing there’s a difference between a player judged to be the most valuable and the player who’s the best in the league. Big difference. James’ play is showing which is more important. Rose’s play earned the Bulls homecourt advantage and James’ play took it away almost immediately.

James’ play is showing what matters: size and better talent. His play is also showing that oftentimes the MVP award, along with Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year, seem to be handed out to the biggest surprises of the year.

To be fair, Rose earned the award for his spectacular regular season. You remember the regular season, don’t you? That was way back when the Bulls swept the Heat.

If I had to bet, I’d put money on the Bulls in Game 5 tonight.

But it would be your money.

Maybe James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are tired from pantsing the Bulls in the last three fourth quarters.

Good for the Bulls for not whining about he flagrant-one foul called against Carlos Boozer for his arm to Bosh’s head. Maybe the Bulls are just happy that Boozer tried to fake a defensive move or that he actually got back on a play.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Boozer is healthy, which means Boozer doesn’t care about playing better defense or is totally incapable of learning, pick one.

Mike Miller led the Heat assault off the bench with 12 points and 9 rebounds, which would be impressive enough for a guy who had scored only seven points in the playoffs to that point, but Miller’s Game 4 was even more eye-opening when you learn that his week-old daughter remains in intensive care with an unspecified complication that might require surgery. That’s why Miller wore pink shoelaces the last two games, and if he gets fined, Heat Honcho Pat Riley said the team would pay it.